While the mass media have spent considerable time in news coverage of the Craig Thomson saga, focusing for the most part on its impact on the Gillard government, few have dissected it in relation to its impact on the Abbott-led Opposition. Rather, most Australian journalists have repeated Abbott's line that Craig Thomson's vote in the House of Representatives is tainted and he won't accept it in the column of 'ayes' for Coalition in any votes on the floor of the chamber.